City’s rapid growth

Under Godbold’s leadership, Jacksonville saw tremendous development, especially downtown, during what was called the “The Billion Dollar Decade."

The Jacksonville Landing opened in June 1987 on the Northbank to much fanfare. When it opened, the riverfront mall included name-brand stores and restaurants, which were packed with customers. It was seen as an attraction that could bring downtown Jacksonville back to life.

The Southbank Riverwalk was built.

The old Union Terminal train station was converted into the Prime Osborn Convention Center.

The Mayo Clinic opened in Jacksonville.

Modernization of fire department

When he was mayor, Godbold helped an outdated, underpaid fire department become modern, professional and state of the art.

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Jacksonville's first consolidated City Council and Mayor Hans Tanzler (back row, fifth from left). Jake Godbold is the second man on the left in the back row.

Entertainment

Godbold started the Jacksonville Jazz Festival in collaboration with public television station WJCT.

Godbold lit the spark of Colt fever, which led ultimately, two mayors later, to Jacksonville getting an NFL expansion team. More than 50,000 people would turn out in the old Gator Bowl in August 1979 to try to convince team owner Robert Irsay that “We want the Colts.” It wasn’t in the cards at the time, but the event got national attention and set the stage for Jacksonville’s long march to win its own NFL team. Godbold was at Channel 4 on that unforgettable day --Nov. 30, 1993 -- when the news came that the NFL was awarding Jacksonville an expansion team, 14 years after the then-mayor started this quest for the city’s future.

Life after public office

Godbold worked tirelessly for various causes for the public good, including prevention of domestic violence in memory of his sister-in-law, Barbara Ann Campbell, who was killed. The Barbara Ann Campbell Memorial Breakfast recently celebrated its 25th year of raising awareness and funds for the Hubbard House, which released a statement Thursday, praising Godbold for his vocal support of survivors of domestic violence.

In April 2018, Godbold wrote a letter to Mayor Lenny Curry, saying he believes the issue of JEA’s future “has been botched since the beginning” and questioning the choice of Aaron Zahn to serve as interim chief executive of the city-owned utility at the time.

Godbold continued to speak out as recently as November 2019 when he took out a full-page advertisement in the Florida Times-Union, blasting JEA and Curry over the potential and ultimately aborted sale of JEA. He then spoke out about the issue at a special City Council committee.